56 replies to this topic

[UpUpAway95]

I would take that stance (potentially) if aliens like the Rachni weren't infinitely better suited for that role than the Krogan though. 

 

An alien species that is (roughly) on par with the Krogan in terms of strength and combat capability. Who's newborn can reach maturity (and combat readiness) in a matter of days as opposed to years. Come equipped with their own natural weapons and armor on par with modern technology. Are capable of surviving extremely diverse and harsh environments without the need for pressurized suits or oxygen. Each have a natural QEC built into their biology, eliminating the need for easily disrupted relay network communications. Natural engineers that can operate and help construct highly advanced technology (like the Crucible) in addition to their impressive martial prowess. And willing to come to the aid of the galaxy, no questions asked or concessions demanded for "past wrongs". 

 

 

 

Highly organized and disciplined troops, that can serve other battlefield roles in addition to being front-line troops, that mature rapidly and have natural protections and weapons that would allow them to engage Reaper ground forces without the need for mass produced weapons and armor, and are willing to help in the fight without holding the rest of the galaxy hostage until their demands are met > Hyper violent battle toads with a massive chip on their shoulders (IMO).

 

I never said that the Rachni were not suitable... and I also, indeed, often rescue the Rachni Queen for the same purpose.  However, I do believe that the Rachni form of "government" is very much a top-down sort of government... the only voice we hear of the Rachni "people" is that of a single queen.  I believe that the most fierest fighters are ones who fight for their own reasons and causes fostered by a society that encourages a variety of opinions on issues rather than one that forcesably molds individuals into a "single- minded" society.  It seems to me that, in the game, this sort of "diversity of thought" within a society is most represented by the Krogans.  I don't think they are merely the dumb brutes that people here seem to catagorize them as.  Yes, they overpopulated their world and destroyed it as a result... but isn't humanity doing the same thing to Earth right now?  Within the discourse presented through Eve and Wrex, I think the Krogan do not intend to make the same mistakes with their society again and would formidable allies for humans and the other council races in the Andromeda Galaxy when the game moves there.

[King Cool]

The Krogan should have kept the population in check themselves, something like the Genophage but not as aggressive.  

[Vortex13]

I never said that the Rachni were not suitable... and I also, indeed, often rescue the Rachni Queen for the same purpose.  However, I do believe that the Rachni form of "government" is very much a top-down sort of government... the only voice we hear of the Rachni "people" is that of a single queen.  I believe that the most fierest fighters are ones who fight for their own reasons and causes fostered by a society that encourages a variety of opinions on issues rather than one that forcesably molds individuals into a "single- minded" society.  It seems to me that, in the game, this sort of "diversity of thought" within a society is most represented by the Krogans.  I don't think they are merely the dumb brutes that people here seem to catagorize them as.  Yes, they overpopulated their world and destroyed it as a result... but isn't humanity doing the same thing to Earth right now?  Within the discourse presented through Eve and Wrex, I think the Krogan do not intend to make the same mistakes with their society again and would formidable allies for humans and the other council races in the Andromeda Galaxy when the game moves there.

 

 

I would say that the level "ferocity" demonstrated by an individualistic society versus a hive based society (though not a hive mind as people like to assume the Rachni have) in a battle for one's very existence is a moot point really. Just because one society might be more 'diverse' wouldn't mean that their fight or flight response would be more intense than any other sentient being capable of organized resistance.

 

Now it is true, your common Rachni soldiers probably wouldn't be able to tell you in so many words about why they are fighting "the good fight", but then again you don't have to worry about those said Rachni having inter political turmoil among themselves or different broods and/or pre-established racist tendencies towards other species that could disrupt co-ordinated battlefield operations. For all the progressive talk of Krogan like Wrex and Eve, you have thousands of others like Wreve that would gladly air out old grievances in the middle of a Reaper invasion and make no effort to hide the fact that they wouldn't mind seeing a few Salarian or Turian worlds burn.

 

 

In a long term fight, you want discipline and organization over sentimental bravado and camaraderie. Sure, your newly cured Krogan will be fired up and gung ho to battle the Reapers, but what happens when battle fatigue over fighting a centuries long war begins to set in? What will happen if morale drops too low because of a series of bad campaigns? Wrex is perfectly willing to give into despair and throw in the towel if he discovers the sabotage, what is going to happen if he loses heart like that 200 years into the invasion and all of his newborn sons have been killed by Reaper forces?  At least with a species like the Rachni you know that they will maintain the same level of dedication to the battle effort regardless of the timescale involved or the general opinion of their populace.

[KrrKs]

Rachni > Krogan

 

 

Two armies are better than one.

Especially when all these troops can just slow the enemy down a bit until the "oh god, oh god, we're all gonna die" -moment(s).

[Quarian Master Race]

The Krogan should have kept the population in check themselves, something like the Genophage but not as aggressive.  

Precisely my thoughts. There are very few people who called China's one child policy an example of genocide that are taken seriously. The krogan, however, flat out refuse to institute something similar for even their own sake, let alone that of others. Most of them (even Wrex, with his expansionist talk) seem to think they have some inherent right to breed out of control and swallow the worlds of other species until there's nothing left of them, so it's only natural that the others would respond in kind to protect themselves.

It's not even a new idea in setting. The quarians control their population through similar laws specifically because they don't have enough resources and living space to sustain any more than ~17 million, they don't go about pirating everyone else's ships and food so they can afford to screw like rabbits. I'm pretty sure the salarians are oviparous not unlike the krogan, and they don't have similar issues either, though the amount of eggs they lay is never elucidated, and they are at least nice enough to die off after 40  years rather than sticking around for 2000+. Given their long lifespans and seemingly being fertile for hundreds of years, the asari also would have a much greater population if they didn't control their own numbers in some way.

[Vortex13]

Precisely my thoughts. There are very few people who called China's one child policy an example of genocide that are taken seriously. The krogan, however, flat out refuse to institute something similar for even their own sake, let alone that of others. Most of them (even Wrex, with his expansionist talk) seem to think they have some inherent right to breed out of control and swallow the worlds of other species until there's nothing left of them, so it's only natural that the others would respond in kind to protect themselves.

It's not even a new idea in setting. The quarians control their population through similar laws specifically because they don't have enough resources and living space to sustain any more than ~17 million, they don't go about pirating everyone else's ships and food so they can afford to screw like rabbits. I'm pretty sure the salarians are oviparous not unlike the krogan, and they don't have similar issues either, though the amount of eggs they lay is never elucidated, and they are at least nice enough to die off after 40  years rather than sticking around for 2000+. Given their long lifespans and seemingly being fertile for hundreds of years, the asari also would have a much greater population if they didn't control their own numbers in some way.

 

 

This.

 

Even a species that you would think would fit the whole 'Horde of Space Locusts' trope (aka the Rachni) are better at managing their numbers and the worlds they inhabit.

 

The Queen advocates the euthanizing of her children on Noveria due to the danger that they represent to themselves and others. Also, they invaded Citadel space, but the worlds they conquered were able to be reclaimed, with no mention of environmental devastation. Not so for the planets that the Krogan were awarded; plus, the Rachni home planet of Suen has no mention of self inflicted nuclear holocaust.

[Vortex13]

 

Two armies are better than one.

Especially when all these troops can just slow the enemy down a bit until the "oh god, oh god, we're all gonna die" -moment(s).

 

 

I'm not saying that more numbers to throw agains the Reapers are a bad thing, I was just making a point at how the Rachni are arguably far more useful, long term, than the Krogan are. If the war with the Reapers drags on for several centuries, you are going to want armies that can maintain consistency in the fight.